An Unlikely Meeting
by hockeychick19
Summary: She thought she was alone, hiding from the pain that one particular man caused her, only to find out that she was not as alone as she thought. Dramione one shot, possibly becoming more- title and summary subject to change if so


Heavy footsteps stopped her crying. They were too close for comfort and she feared her hiding spot may have been found. She quietly propped herself onto the top of the toilet seat, feet no longer touching the floor, hoping to give whoever invaded the usually empty space the idea that it was, in fact, empty. She could only hope and pray that the prying ghost who haunted the bathroom did not give her away to the unknown person.

She tried to keep her sniffling to a minimum as she attempted to subdue the uncontrollable sobbing that previously racked her body. It was silly of her to have been crying in the first place, but the hurt she felt by his actions was too much and she couldn't help it. Just thinking about the two of them together made her want to start sobbing all over again. But, she had to control herself. No one could ever find her like this, especially whoever the unknown person in the bathroom was.

It was the loud sob that came from the mysterious person that put the final halt to her own crying. She could tell by the sounds emitting from the mysterious figure that it was a male who had entered the place she had come to consider to be a sanctuary for her. She wanted to peek through the crack in the stall to see who was using the bathroom in the same way she was, but that would require her moving, which would surely give her own presence away. However, fate had other plans than her own of staying hidden from the crying person. Her leg twitched, as if having a muscle spasm, and she fell from her crouched position on the toilet seat. It was also in that moment of her falling that the female ghost who haunted the bathroom appeared from inside the toilet in a fit of obnoxious giggles, laughing at her misfortune. The ghost never did like her.

"Who's there?" His sharp voice called out, wavering just a little from the sobs he was now trying to get under control. She held back a gasp, knowing instantly who the unknown figure was. Fear took over her as she contemplated showing herself to him or letting him find her. Sensing her distress, the ghost only laughed harder.

"I swear it, show yourself now!" His voice demanded, lacking the previous wavering. He had a much better control over his emotions-years of practice being the attribute. Knowing either situation of being found out would be horrible, she decided not to be a coward and slowly picked herself up from the bathroom floor to present herself to him.

When his own grey eyes, slightly red from crying, met her own brown eyes, also slightly red from crying, he almost dropped his wand in shock. Scared that he would show her a side of himself he wanted no one to know, he gripped his wand tightly, pointed it at her, and sneered, "What are you doing her mudblood?"

Her lips started to quiver at the name and the malice in his voice. She never wanted anyone to see her this vulnerable and having been caught by the person who hated her the most was just too much for her. Tears once again slowly trekked down her face down her face as she stood numbly in front of him, too embarrassed to do or say anything. She could tell her lack of response shocked him because his wand wavered slightly and the hardened look on his face softened, not much, but just enough for her to notice through her tears.

"Why are you crying?" He now questioned, a sneer still somewhat present in his voice. Still, nothing came from her lips as she continued to look at him like a deer does when it gets caught by an oncoming car's headlights. He could clearly see her distress and he would openly admit his alarm to anyone who asked. This was the last response he ever would have expected from her and he didn't quite know what to make of it. Wanting to get some sort of response out of her, he tried to joke around by saying, "The day Hermione Granger has nothing to say, never thought I would live to see it." Instead of making some form of comment to fight back with him like he wanted her to, she just slouched her shoulders and looked to the ground. He was dumbfounded. Where had the brave girl that had once punched him square in the face gone?

Not knowing what to do as he noticed more tears falling down her face, he put his wand back into the pocket of his robes and slowly walked towards her. He reached her side, and after a moment of serious contemplation on his behalf of his next move, and a somewhat bewildered look from her, he put his arm around her shoulders in attempt to comfort her. She sat in his embrace for a moment before she fully came to terms with what was happening. She quickly yanked herself out of his arms, eyes too in shock to let any more tears fall from them.

"What was that?" She asked, not rudely, but more in complete shock. His eyes, too, widened as he managed to stutter, "I don't know". They stared at each other for a moment before they each mutually (and silently) agreed to slide themselves to the ground. Their shoulders were touching, but neither made any inclination to separate them. They sat in an oddly half-comforting, half-awkward silence.

"What are you doing here Malfoy? She finally asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Oh, so she does speak." He chuckled, unable to help himself. She herself couldn't help but let a giggle escape her lips at his remark. Almost impressed with himself for making her laugh, he took a moment to relish in that fact before he responded.

"I just needed a moment. Everything was getting to be too much and I just couldn't handle it. I figured this was the best place to be alone. Evidently, I was wrong." He responded, ending his response with a pointed look directed at her. She couldn't help the slight blush that crept unto her face as she muttered, "sorry". Why she apologized, she did not know. He didn't know what to make of her apology either, hell, the whole situation was bizarre to him. The two of them sitting next to each other, almost comforting one another rather than trying to kill? It was just plain odd.

"Don't be sorry. None of it is your fault. Now, I told you what was wrong with me, so you have to tell me what is wrong with you." Rather than answering him, she blurted out a question that had been haunting her since the train ride back to school: "You're a Death Eater aren't you?"

That was the last thing he had expected her to say and his shock was written all over his face. "What makes you think that?" He asked, fear present in his voice. How could she have figured one of his many secrets out? He had been so careful with everything he had done this year. Had he not been as careful as he thought? A million different questions ran through his head at once as he awaited her reply.

"Harry thinks you are. We saw you this summer in Borgin and Burkes and ever since then…" She trailed off as she saw him clamp his eyes shut. She almost regretted asking him but she had to know if it was true. Why the desperate need to know she could not fully explain, but she wanted the confirmation that Voldemort had reached her peers. Even though she knew he was back and that a war would soon be coming with her best friend in the middle of it, Malfoy's confirmation would make it so much more real to her.

"Yes. But by the time you guys saw me, I was already _one of them_." He spat out the last part with such hatred that she was more surprised by the tone than the answer. She turned to face him and studied his face for a moment, taking in all of his pain that was clearly evident.

"You didn't want to become one did you? You were forced." Eyes still clamped shut, Draco Malfoy slowly nodded his head. She continued staring at him, trying to figure him out. The more she looked at his face, the more her own personal pain turned into pain for him. They were not friends, definitely nothing of the sort, but she was now looking at him in a whole new light as all of the pieces started clicking together in her brilliant mind.

"It was our fault wasn't it? Because of everything that happened at the Ministry?" Once again, he nodded. Seeing that he was not going to put a stop to her interrogation, she continued on with her questions. "Is that why you attacked Harry on the train? Not because of what happened to your father, but since what happened to your father was the reason why you became a Death Eater? Because Harry was the catalyst to everything?" Another nod answered her question. Why he was being so truthful with her he did not know, but it was almost relieving to know that someone understood why he now was what he was. When she didn't say anything, eyes still shut, he opened his mouth to say, "I did it to protect my mother. He would have killed her if I didn't agree."

"Oh Draco." She murmured, feeling nothing but pain for the boy who tortured her for years. Hearing her say his name brought him back to reality as his eyes snapped open. The feelings that went through his body upon hearing her lips speak his name was not ones that he wanted to think about.

"I don't want your sympathy mud-" But, he stopped himself. For some reason he could no longer bring himself to call her that name. Hurt flashed across her face and his stomach clenched at the sight. Why? He didn't want to think about why.

"Ron and Lavender." She suddenly muttered, facing straight ahead towards the pipes under the sinks than looking at him. He rolled his eyes at the thought of the freckled-face ginger and his crazy girlfriend.

"You can't seriously be jealous of that cow?" He exclaimed in shock when he noticed the tears starting to build up in her eyes again. "I love him," she murmured so quietly he almost didn't hear it. Draco sat to think for a moment, wondering if he should say what he truly thought on the matter.

Coming to a decision, he stood up and proceeded to make his way out of the bathroom. She looked up at him in shock that he would just leave like that. However, he casted one last look her way, a look that was filled with so much emotion her heartbeat sped up. No one had ever looked at her in this way, not even Viktor during their brief fling in her fourth year. They stared at each other, both afraid to break the contact and connection that they were both feeling. He opened his mouth and said,

"He is not worth your tears Hermione. You deserve so much better than him and nothing he does will ever bring him even close to deserving you. Please don't forget that. And I am so sorry for everything that has happened and everything that will happen." And with that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving a very perplexed girl on the floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"What had just happened?" was the thought that was running through both of their heads as the footfalls of Draco Malfoy could be heard moving further and further away from Hermione Granger.

 **So, what do you all think? Should I continue or leave it as a one shot? Please review and let me know! Hope you all liked this!**


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